55 W.

13th Street 8th Floor

written by Danmichael Reyes

April 12, 2019

Made in Highland
INT. ELEVATOR. DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN. DAY

Crowded elevator going up. College-aged kids are carrying

instrument cases, portfolios, and snacking on bacon, egg and
cheese bagels. There’s a sharply dressed contrabassist standing
next to his equally swanky cowhide leather bass case. Two women
stand next to each other. Freda Encarnacion, 22 years old, is
wearing purple shades and is holding an 8 oz. cup of coffee.
Her friend, Maxine Lee, a year and a half younger. Edgy enough
to be mistaken for a K-Pop artist.

MAXINE
You ready for tonight?

Freda takes off headphones. Common’s “The Light” can audibly

be heard.

FREDA
What?

MAXINE
You know, it’s not good to listen
too loudly. You’ll go deaf if you
continue on like this.

FREDA
Beethoven was deaf. Pretty sure we
had to study him during Form and
Analysis last week.

MAXINE
He’s deaf because his father was a
drunk and he got hit in the head a
lot.

Elevator reaches 3rd floor. A couple of students get off. It’s

a computer lab.

MAXINE
Are you ready for tonight?

FREDA
Oh, right. I mean, It’s just a
bunch of chords. I’m nothing more
than a glorified backing track.

INT. 5TH FLOOR ARNOLD HALL. DAY

Freda, Maxine, and the sharply-dressed bassist all get out. The
sharply-dressed bassist doesn’t see Freda and his bass knocks
the coffee out of Freda’s hand, accidentally spilling on the
bass case.

Made in Highland
 2.

FREDA
Fuck! Fuck! My cortado! Oh, shit.
I’m so sorry. Let me run to the
bathroom real quick and blot that
out for you.

BASSIST (Southern Italian accent)

It is okay! Now my bass will smell
like coffee all day!

FREDA
Fuck... I am so sorry. That looks
really expensive.

BASSIST
Maybe? If it is expensive, then it
should be okay with a bit of a
coffee spill. I should be
apologizing to you. I spilled your
coffee. Maybe I should buy you
another one?

FREDA
Thanks. But I have a boyfriend.

BASSIST
(looks perplexed) I was just
offering because my bass hit your
coffee. Also, I’m gay.

FREDA
(rather loudly) Of course! Of
course! Of course you’re gay!

Conversations stop. Entire floor looks over to where Freda, the

bassist, and Maxine are standing next to the elevator.

FREDA
Dammit... sorry. I didn’t mean it
like that. I’m not homophobic. My
brother is gay, which I figure is
what a homophobic person would say
right? I’m sorry... I’m just
really tired and I really wanted
that cortado. You know what? You
can buy that cortado...

Before she can finish her sentence, the bassist, clearly a

little offended, walked away.

MAXINE
(swinging arms in a hokey manner)
You sure know how to make an
entrance, sister!

Made in Highland
 3.

FREDA
(lets out one huge sigh) What
class do you have right now?

They walk towards Freda’s locker. Freda puts away her

sunglasses and grabs a scarf thrown in the back.

MAXINE
No classes today. I gotta tutor a
few ESL kids and I’ve got my
private comp lessons in the early
afternoon. I’m just here to try to
get a practice room.

FREDA
Are you actually going to practice
or are you just going to post
Instagram live videos of you
playing pretty chords over Dilla
beats?

MAXINE
(scoffs) Uhm.... Freda
Encarnacion, are you throwing
shade at me?

Freda continually putting things away in her locker

FREDA
All the shade, homie. I’m just
jealous. Social media is the
scourge of our generation and I’m
just upset for feeling that way
about it. If I were more of an
attention whore, I’d be famous.

MAXINE
Shh! You have no reason to be this
salty! And for your information, I
am going to actually practice.
What do you have now?

FREDA
Contemporary Jazz. If I have to
listen to some more free shit, I’m
going to lose it. It literally
gives me heart palpitations.

MAXINE
Just sign in and ditch right away.
No one actually stays.

Made in Highland
 4.

FREDA
Ehh... It’s fine. I’ll just catch
up on some Buzzfeed listicles.

Slams locker shut. We see stickers from UNDFTD, Neumann Berlin,

okayplayer, and one that reads “Pay Jay.”

INT. PERFORMANCE HALL. DAY.

Close on Freda’s half-empty 8 oz. cortado. Vinny Golia’s

“Welcome Home” plays. Stage lights are on as if the class was a
concert. A handful of people are asleep. Majority are on their
laptops. Freda, sits in the back, half paying attention while
looking up Reverb.com deals on synthesizers.

MR. HIRSCH
Vinny Golia was originally a
painter, involved in the downtown
New York scene. He would paint
album covers for a lot of the
early avant guys then eventually
taught himself how to play.

iMessage notification from KenDot (Kenneth Kim-Hilwater)

(contact picture is a couple selfie from Highline) on top left
screen appears the way it does on a Mac pops up.
[Note: iMessages are in italics.]

KENNY
Sup girl? wyd rn?

FREDA
(cute smirk) Hi!!! In my modern
jazz history class. Listening to
this dude, Vinny Golia’s music.
It’s actually pretty good. Usually
all this avant shit makes me sad.
Did you get to work on time?

KENNY
Yeah... but I’m not doing anything
right now. I just have to finish
this interview. U down to play
hooky and grab a late breakfast/
early lunch w/ me?

Made in Highland
 5.

MR. HIRSCH FREDA

(still lecturing)
Eventually, Golia moved
to California where he
started playing with
the likes of Horace
Tapscott.
How is it that you’re a
writer and you write
“U” instead of you? I
should call your school
and have them revoke
your degree.

MR. HIRSCH KENNY

I know you kids are all
into the Kamasi
Washington nowadays and
Horace Tapscott...
... we is texting
homie. Chill. There’s
no need for propriety
during an informal
setting. You wanna get
food or not?

MR. HIRSCH FREDA

...is kind of a closer Fine. But you’re
comparison to Kamasi buying. Where you wanna
than Miles’ electric go?
period or whatever else
bullshit comparison
Pitchfork wants to
make...

MR. HIRSCH KENNY

By the way... pop I’ll come to you. Max
publications have no Brenner? We can split a
business whatsoever hot chocolate?
critiquing improvised
Black American Music.
You should never trust
a writer who listens to
someone named...
(Hirsch pauses and
enunciates to the
drive the jest
home)
... Little
Uzi Vert.

Classroom erupts in laughter. Even some of the kids that are

sleeping let out a slight chuckle.

RANDO STUDENT FREDA

YO! How does Hirsch
know about Lil’ Uzi
Vert?! Hirsch bout’ to
shed “Sanguine
Paradise” in all 12!
Dope! I’ll head out in
a few. See you soo.
(kissy face emoji)

Freda packs up her laptop. Moves across the stadium seating.

1/3rd of the entire program is in this lecture hall. We see a
wide shot of Freda exiting a building.

Made in Highland
 6.

There are students smoking, people coming in and out, and a

see-through computer lab in the first floor. Robert Glasper’s
“Afro Blue (9th Wonder’s Blue Light Basement Remix)” plays as
the film cuts to:

EXT. UNION SQUARE. LATE MORNING.

Freda has her headphones on and she’s looking somewhat in

disgust at some of the retail shops. She passes the Ghandi
statue off Union Square W and bows her head in slight
reverence. Her hands are in her peacoat pocket.

KENNY
It’s spelled *soon. btw.

FREDA
Que?

KENNY
You wrote “soo.” I’m telling you
that it’s spelled “soon.” Or do
they not teach you spelling in
music school?

FREDA
It’s texting. Who needs to be
proper about it?

KENNY
*Biiiiiiig FAX, g. On 2nd and
14th. Catch you in a minute.”

FREDA
See you soo!

She plays with the long wire from her straight coil headphones.
The camera slowly zooms off her and gets a full picture of
Union Square during a busy day. Despite the sea of people, we
can still distinctly see Freda because of her uncombed thick
curly brunette hair and even bigger hi-fi headphones.

INT. CHOCOLATE BY THE BALD MAN - CONTINUOUS

Very cheesy modern day recording of ‘40s swing music plays.

FREDA
eta?

KENNY
Turning left now. Get us a table?

Made in Highland
 7.

FREDA
(takes headphones off. “Afro Blue”
is very audible) Table for two
please?

HOST
Right this way

FREDA
(somewhat annoyed the host didn’t
mention anything about the music
she’s playing or how cute she is)
Thanks, buddy.

She sits down and looks over the menu just so she can look like
she’s doing something. Kenneth walks in. Clean cut with a
properly trimmed beard. He’s two years older than Freda. He has
a laugh with the waiter, they dap each other, then proceeds to
walk to Freda.

KENNY
Freddie Freeloader.

FREDA
(Stands up to hug Kenny) Don’t
call me that. That album is the
most overrated thing ever.

KENNY
(kisses Freda on forehead then
puts coat on chair) Not here to
argue about Miles’ records. Just
wanna grab a sandwich and possibly
a split a chocolate pizza with
you.

Waiter fills up water.

WAITER
Something to drink besides water?

KENNY
Do you want that hot chocolate now
or later?

FREDA
Can we do it now? I spilled my
cortado on someone earlier.

KENNY
One hot chocolate please? You
spilled coffee on someone?

Made in Highland
 8.

WAITER
(chuckles)
Sure thing. I’ll give you guys a
moment to look at the menu. Just
please don’t spill anything on me.

KENNY
(Nods cooly to waiter)
Thanks, bruh.

FREDA
Had a laugh with the host?

KENNY
(turns to Freda and laughs)
Yeah! I asked if he had just sat
you and I told him you would have
walked in blasting music through
an overtly huge set of headphones.

FREDA
Jesus. Am I the only one in the
city who listens to music?

KENNY
No. But you are the only one with
the biggest headphones and the
longest cord ever. You’re probably
the only one still using an iPod.

FREDA
(takes out FiiO M3K Player)
Again... It’s not an iPod. It’s a
lossless audio player.

KENNY
The hell you need that resolution
for? Listen to the producer
breathing while he’s mixing?

FREDA
Usually the producer doesn’t mix.
Usually a mix engineer mixes. The
producer is more of a heart and
soul of a record kind of guy.
Traditionally speaking. And
whatever, it’s just a gig.

KENNY
Justin Vernon mixed and produced
the self-titled Bon Iver album.

FREDA
The self-titled is sonically flat
(MORE)
Made in Highland
 9.

FREDA (CONT’D)
and ’22 A Million’ is so much
better. Production wise.

KENNY
All you music school kids are the
worst snobs in the world.

Waiter come back with drink.

WAITER
Here’s your hot chocolate. Are we
ready to order?

FREDA
Oh shit... I’m so sorry. We didn’t
even look at the menu yet. You
mind giving us another two
minutes?

WAITER
(kindly) Of course! Take your
time. No rush.

Waiter is about to leave.

FREDA
I’m so sorry, what was your name?

WAITER
You can call me Markle.

FREDA
Michael?

WAITER
M. A. R. K. L. E. Like Meghan
Markle, but the last name is my
first name.

FREDA
That’s fucking cool! Do use Mark
as your Starbucks name?

WAITER
I don’t drink Starbucks and if
someone can’t figure out my name,
they’re an idiot.

All three of them laugh.

KENNY
Your name is very, very gangster.

Made in Highland
 10.

WAITER
Thanks. I’ll give you guys
another moment.

KENNY
(Shows Freda an Instagram post
from a verified account of an
electing looking woman in front of
Le Poisson Rouge) Check this out.
She just posted it two minutes ago
and it already has over 8,000
likes

FREDA
(puts menu down and looks uneasy
at the photo) Eh...

KENNY
That must be so exciting. You
ready for tonight?

FREDA
(flipping through the menu)
I mean... I guess? We’re just
opening up though. It’s not that
big of a deal.

KENNY
Not a big deal?! You guys are
opening up for Billie Eilish! The
new album is so good!

FREDA
(looks at menu with puzzled
expression)
Yeah... but you know it’s one of
those things where a promoter
checked to see who played at LPR
last and just happened to stumble
upon when we played there.

KENNY
(gently)
Can you not minimize this? This is
a huge deal. And if you’re not
going to be excited for you, don’t
mess it up for me. I’m excited for
you.

FREDA
Okay. I guess you’re right.
Doesn’t matter. But it’s not like
we’re getting paid. I mean we are,
but not a whole lot.

Made in Highland
 11.

KENNY
Experience points are everything.
Who needs money?

FREDA
Says the full-time NPR editor.

Waiter comes back

WAITER
You guys ready?

FREDA
(still looking at menu)
Kenny, can you order first please?

PAN OUT.

Bad modern day ‘40s swing music still plays.

Made in Highland